THE GREY ELECTION.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 582, 18 November 1869, Page 2

THE GREY ELECTION.

"We have already stated that, at the declaration of the poll at Cobden, one of the defeated candidates, Mr Boase, indulged in some severe strictures upon the manner of conducting the late election in the Grey district, until ho was interrupted or contradicted by the Eeturning Officer, Mr Lowe. We also gave a report of a meeting which had been held at Cobden, and at which, we now learn, there were six persons present. In the Grey mouth Star of Monday appears the following report of the remarks at the declaration by Mr Boase, who, rumor says, was the first to vote at Napoleon Hill, voting for himself and Mr Franklyn : Mr Boase, in proposing a vote of thanks to the .Returning Officer, said he stood before the electors assembled, in the position of a defeated, although a virtually returned candidate. He had sued for the suffrages of the electors on his own merit, and if the election had depended upon it he would have stood before them in a different position to that which he now occupied. He might in fact say that he was virtually returned, and instead of Mr Franklyn being in company with Mr Mackley, he should have occupied that position. He complained in the first instance of the manner in which the election was conducted. To record 190 votes up-country, it took seven hours—in fact it took nearly five minutes to each voter, while at the close of the voting they were registered at the rate of one a minute. The door of the polling-booth at the same time being held by a mob, who intimidated any person who came to vote, and he might here state that owing to the manner in which the election was conducted over 50 voters who were inclined to vote for him had to leave without recording their votes. In the second place the election was conducted contrary to the principles of law and good policy, and in making this statement be referred to the question that had been raised of Mr Franklyn's eligibility. Nationality had been brought into play, but he was not there to urge anything against nationality, but what he would say was that it should not have been allowed to influence the election. Another thing he had to bring forward was that Mr Franklyn should not have influenced the police force, over whom he exercised the chief control, to canvass in his behalf; therefore he hoped the protest that had been lodged against his return would be allowed. They ought not to tolerate a person who had chargo of a paid force—paid by the electors themselves—using that force to the injury of others and the benefit of himself. Mr Boase, after alluding to a prcbable reason of Mr Franklyn's candidature concluded by moving a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer.

Mr Warden Lowe said he was placed in an awkward position, as the meeting appeared to think that he was in the same position as the chairman of a public meeting, but he supposed that he must allow the meeting the privilege of Englishmen to have growls, especially when they stood in the relation of defeated candidates. If there was anything to allege against the candidates it could be done in the Supreme Court, as he had nothing to do with that. Mr Lowe then paid, a high compliment to the manner in which Mr Lambert, the deputy returning officer, had conducted the election, and read a declaration made by Mr Coe, scrutineer for Mr Prauklyn ; Mr Clarkson, scrutineer for Mr Mackley; and Mr Gardner, for Mr Boase, of approval of Mr Lambert's conduct. After some few other remarks the meeting separated. POLLING AT NAPOLEONS' "Writing of the election, a correspondent of the Grey River Argus at Napoleon's says:—A good deal of interest was taken in the proceedings, and the relative merits of the several candidates were freely discussed. Mr

Boase was the first in the field, and and his evident sincerity and honesty of intention created a very favorable impression, but the local influence of Mr Mackley was too much for him. Mr Mackley did not appear to take much interest in the matter, and the opinion which was very generally held, that he was indifferent as to the result of the contest, was the cause of losing a considerable number of votes which would otherwise be recorded in hia favor. Mr Franklyn's election was considered certain, for his great personal popularity among the miners, and the able manner in which he expounded his opinions, together with the very active canvass which was being carried on for him "by authority," enabled him to carry everything befoi'e him. Mr Wilkie did not condescend to come near us at all, but as that gentleman holds the opinion that the Grey takes " takes its rise at the coal pits," we are not likely to mis 3 him much. The number of votes polled, 197, appears to be very small out of such a numerous population, but this is not to be attributed to any lack of interest on the part of the miners. There should have been at least two polling places in a large district like this ; as it is, the miners above the Junction of the Little Grrey hgve been virtually disfranchised. The Police Camp was the polling booth, and a more unsuitable building for the purpose could not be selected. There is only one door, and that was besieged by an anxious crowd, each one striving to be first, for it was plain to be seen that itjwould be impossible to recordall the votes within the time specified by the Act. If the free and independent electors found it a difficult matter to get into the polling, they found that getting out of it was no easy matter either, for they had to force their way back the way they came, or make an exit through the window or up the chimney as the case might be. The Returning Officer had no sinecure. That gentleman performed his duty with great courtesj and fairness. He threw no unnecessary obstacles in the way of the votes, but " polished them off " as quickly as he could, consistent with exhibiting a proper amount of veneration for the clumsy formalities required by the Act which he was administering.